The Law and the Lawyer
When successful lawyer Hugh Creighton (Dabney Coleman) learns that his live in lover Marcy Edwards (Cheryl Paris) has been having an affair with a former band mate of hers he kicks her out of his home. But Marcy has no plans of going quietly and threatens to expose some of Hugh's dodgier dealings if he doesn't give her what would be hers if they got divorced. It leads to Hugh murdering Marcy and making it look like the band mate did it but of course when the cops are called in and Lt. Columbo (Peter Falk) shows up he quickly becomes suspicious surrounding the circumstances starting with corks which don't match a couple of champagne bottles.
I've seen Lt. Columbo deal with all sorts of people from geniuses to unstable women but in "Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star" we see the dishevelled lieutenant up against a lawyer who has never lost a case and who isn't against putting on a bit of theatrics to win a case. Not only that as the lawyer being a friend of Columbo's superior sees him being allowed to see confidential information on the case allowing him to have a head start on what ever Columbo may find to pursue him with. It makes it again another movie which pits Columbo's mind against another smart ones but still keeps it fresh and entertaining.
But alongside this battle of the law and the lawyer as Columbo collects the evidence and smells a rat we have some extra things going on in "Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star". For one we have Hugh's business partner who discovers the truth and sets about blackmailing him, we also have Columbo relying on a red headed cop played by Sondra Currie when it comes to some of the leg work. But we also have the humour and that ranges from Columbo distracted by trying to get a stereo for a birthday present through to a cameo from none other than Little Richard. There is even a private detective in this Columbo called Sam Marlowe of all things.
What this all boils down to is that "Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star" is as entertaining as any of these 90s episodes were with a greater focus on the playful nature of Columbo going about his investigations than on the details he finds when solving the case.
Tags: Columbo
